Design & Decor - Flower Arranging

Five professional-looking arrangements for $25

Here, a spider mum in a doughnut floater keeps company with silk flowers and battery-powered tea lights; glass bubbles fill in the gaps.

No plant need go to waste with this tube-shaped vase, perfect for creating a couple of nosegays from any remaining flowers. A battery-powered tea light and floral dye in the water (or use food colouring) complete the look.

Left: Dinner party/ mantel ideaAdd a touch of elegance to any gathering with this simple presentation. A section of the bottom of a floating candle has been gouged out and the candle placed over the stems of inverted snapdragons to hold them together.

Right: Kitchen counter space-saverThis casual arrangement is dressed up with floral jewellery wrapped around the stems and the base of the vase.

Make it lastTo keep bacteria at bay, first clean all the vases with a diluted bleach solution (one part bleach to 10 parts water). If not using floral food, add a few drops of bleach to the bouquet water.

When cutting stems, remove at least 2.5 centimetres and cut on a 45-degree angle for a greater surface area from which to take in water and to keep stems from sitting flat.

Remove all leaves and flowers below the waterline to prevent rot.

Change the water every other day. Place the arrangement in a sink and top up until the vase overflows and the water runs clear (most flowers prefer a lukewarm temperature, which facilitates the flow of oxygen).

Use floral food (available at florist’s shops); if you don’t have any, add five millilitres of sugar per litre of water, to provide nutrients, and a few drops of bleach to help prevent bacterial buildup. Recondition water every few days.

Cut flowers lose one day of freshness for every 15 minutes they’re out of water.

Pro tipTo determine the proper height for long stems, put the vase on a counter adjacent to a sink, measure the stems against the container and cut accordingly.